The death toll from landslide at a tea plantation in Kerala rose to 43 yesterday with nearly two dozen people feared trapped, a senior official said.
The landslide, caused by heavy rain, hit the plantation in Idduki district in the early hours of Friday when workers were still sleeping, officials said.
“We have stopped the rescue operation for the day because of the rain. The operation will continue till the last body is recovered,” Idduki district official H Dineshan said.
The India Meteorological Department has issued alerts for heavy rainfall in several districts, including a red alert for Idduki. In 2018, Kerala was hit by the worst floods in a century.
Hundreds were killed, many of them from Idukki.
Landslides and floods are common during India’s monsoon season. The rains are vital for agriculture, but often cause immense destruction of property and crops, and lead to the loss of lives.
Across the country, at least 780 people died in incidents related to monsoons between the end of May and last Thursday, the Home Ministry said.
The incidents included drowning, landslides, collapsing buildings, electrocution, falling trees and lightening.
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